Handrail assembly



April 1968 w; THURNAUER 3,379,414

HANDRAIL ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 2, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR W/L L/4MTAR/04052 ATTORNEY April 23, 1968 w. THURNAUER' 3,379,414

HANDRAIL ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 2, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 FIG, .3 FIG. 4

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INVENTOR 'W/CL/AM rave/wasp BYZ' ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,379,414HANDRAIL ASSEMBLY William Thurnauer, West Englewood, N..l., assignor toJulius Blum & Co., Inc, Carlstadt, N.J., a corporation of New York FiledSept. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 576,926 6 Claims. (Cl. 256-68) This inventionrelates to a clamp assembly, and more particularly to an architecturalclamp assembly for use in mounting hand rails or the like to stanchionsor other support means.

Heretofore, the attachment of handrails or like elements to stanchionsor struts extending from a bulkhead or a Wall has required a great detalof fabrication at the construction site. For instance, in theinstallation of a typical balustrade incorporating a handrail supportedat various points, it is necessary for individual connections to beeffected between the support struts and spaced points along the rail.Such connections have typically required a drilling of the handrail atthe job site at positions matching the positions of the stanchions, andattachrnent of the rail as by bolting to the individual stanchions.These operations of course require a temporary positioning of the railadjacent the stanchions while measurements are effected, and asubsequent processing of the rail and assembly. If any of the operationsare not carefully carried out, the appearance of the handrail and/ orstanchions will be marred and it is altogether possible that redrillingand repositioning of the parts may be required.

A further difficulty inherent in the construction of balustrades andlike structures heretofore known lies in the fact that often thehandrail components thereof are of extended lengths and are thusunwieldy to handle and, particularly, to maintain in temporarily alignedposition for purpose of effecting measurements and during installation.

Similarly, assembly of drilled units of extended lengths requires theservices of a plurality of workmen, some of whom must hold the unit inposition while others effect the actual assembly.

Furthermore, once the drilled unit has been assembled it is impossibleto adjust or reposition the same without repeating the entire operation,including measurement, redrilling, etc.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anarchitectural assembly and clamp therefor whereby the connection betweensupport struts or stanchions and an elongated handrail or similarstructural element may be etfected, without the necessity of drilling orotherwise processing the rail at the job site.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a clamp which maybe used to support a structure, such as a handrail, at spaced areasalong the length thereof and wherein the attachment requires no toolsother than a simple screw driver.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improvedattachment device for securing a handrail to spaced stanchions wherebythe rail may be temporarily supported by attachment to a few of thestanchions, and other connector members linking the handrail to thestanchions may be subsequently added to complete the assembly.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a novel,multi-part clamp assembly which may be secured between a strut extendingfrom a stanchion or the like and a handrail or the like, the clamp beinginsertible into locking engagement with the strut and handrail bymovement of the clamp parts in a direction longitudinally of thehandrail.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a clamp forattachment between a stanchion and a handrail wherein no processing ofthe handrail is required, so that if it becomes necessary subsequentlyto shift the position of the handrail, this may be done without leavingtell-tale marks indicating the prior position.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by thearrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and moreparticularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the several features of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a staircase depicting the balustradeassembly in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the handrail clamp and strutin accordance with the invention,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 33 ofFIG. 1, and

FIGS. 4, and 6 are vertical sections taken, respectively, on the lines4-4, 55 and 66 of FIG. 3.

According to the invention, 10 represents a conventional staircase towhich a series of vertical stanchions or like supports 11 have beenfixedly secured at spaced intervals. An elongated handrail 12 issupported at spaced points along its length by attachment to struts 13extending from the stanchions 11.

While the illustrated embodiment of the invention depicts struts 13extending from the upper end of stanchion members 11, it will be readilyunderstood that such struts may extend directly from a wall, bulkhead orthe like.

The struts 13, which are secured to the upper end of the stanchions 11as by a threaded segment 14 engageable within complementary threadedapertures 15 at the upper end of the stanchions, include, in addition, aspacer extension 16 for offsetting the handrail a desired distance fromthe stanchions. The end of the spacer extension 16 is defined by a pairof inwardly directed, annular support shoulders 17, 18 separated by areduced neck portion 19.

The handrail 12 which is to be attached to the strut 13 by a clampassembly next to be described, includes an elongated core 20 which isoptionally but preferably comprised of an extrusion of aluminum or thelike, the core including the usual decorative, anti-friction coveringmember or cap 21.

The core 20 of the rail 12 incorporates a generally T-shaped portiondefined by a downwardly directed branch 22 extending beneath the base 23of the rail. The branch 22, at its junction with the base 23, includesundercut laterally directed side portions or channels 24, 25, thelaterally directed or sidewisely disposed faces thereof, 26, 27respectively (FIGS. 4, 5) defining longitudinally extending spaced-apartsupport shoulders. For convenience, the shoulder 26 will be referred toas the outer support shoulder and 27 as the inner support shoulder.

A clamp assembly, next to be described, connects the T-shaped underportion of the rail to the end portion of the strut 13. The clampassembly includes separable clamp elements 28, 29, which elements areidentical with the exception that element 28 incorporates a laterallydirected bore 30, countersunk at its outer end, whereas the element 29includes an internally threaded bore 31.

The clamp elements 23, 29 include at their upper ends, inwardly directedupper clamp faces 32, 33 respectively, the faces being laterally offsetfrom the main body of the clamp so as to permit them to enter into theundercut portions 24, on the opposite sides of the rail assembly andbear, respectively, against the longitudinally extending shoulders 26,27.

The body portions of the clamp elements 28, 29 include ofliset lowersections 34, 35. The lower sections are offset so that the lower section35 of the clamp member 29 is aligned essentially in the same plane asthe main or upper body portion 36 of the clamp member 28. Conversely,the lower section 34 of the clamp member 28 is offset and aligned withthe upper portion 37 of the clamp member 29. The upper and lowerportions of the clamp elements, when viewed in side elevation with theclamp elements juxtaposed, are spaced apart, defining access apertures34, 35 which are generally U-shaped, the spacing between said upper andlower portions being calculated to provide slight clearance when theneck portion 19 of the strut is disposed between said upper and lowerportions.

The clamp members 28, 29 include lower clamp faces 38, 39 respectively,which, in the secured position of the clamp, tightly bind against theinner and outer annular shoulders 17, 18 respectively of the struts.

The clamp assembly is employed as follows:

A plurality of upright stanchions 11, having strut members 13 threadedlyconnected thereto, are affixed in such position that a line through theextending strut members is parallel to the desired position of thehandrail. The handrail may then be positioned above the strut membersand the elements 28, 29 inserted into the grooved or channeled portions24, 25 in the branch 22 of the handrail. This assembly is facilitated bythe slidable relationship of lip or clamp jaw 32 within channel 24 andof lip or clamp jaw 33 within channel 25.

The jaws are spaced along the length of the rail so that each clampmember is disposed to the opposite side of reduced neck portion 19 ofthe strut. The clamp jaws are then assembled to each other by slidingthe same longitudinally toward the neck so that the U-shaped portions34', 35' of the clamp members 28, 29 surround the neck.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the construction of the clamp members 28, 29 issuch that the bottom portions 34, 35 thereof lap each other in onedirection and the upper portions 36, 37 of the jaws overlap each otherin the opposite direction.

From the foregoing it will be evident that when the clamping membersslide sufficiently inwardly or toward the neck portion, the lowerportions 38, 39, respectively, will be interposed between the annularshoulders 17, 18 to prevent lateral movement of the clamp members withrespect to each other. With the clamp members thus positioned, a lockingbolt 40 may be passed through the slightly oversized aperture 30 of themember 28 and threaded into the aperture 31 of the member 29.

It will be evident that the connection of this bolt will prevent anylongitudinal relative movement between the clamp members 23, 29, itbeing understood that until the bolt is fully tightened in the mannerhereinafter set forth, a longitudinal relative movement between thehandrail and the clamp members is permitted. Likewise, prior to suchtightening, the now united clamp members 28, 29 may be rotated orpivoted about the neck portion 19 of the strut.

From the foregoing it will be clear that by connection of a single clampmember with the rail and with the strut, the rail will be secured to thestrut while still being permitted a range of pivotal and slidablemovement with respect thereto. This pivotal and slidable movementpermits a single worker to apply, without complete tightening, a clampmember between a strut and the handrail adjacent one end thereof, forinstance, and thereafter to apply a second clamp member at a spacedposition to the first applied clamp without fear that the handrail willfall clear of the support struts.

The clamp is shown in fully tightened position in FIGS. 4, and 6. As isclear from FIG. 4, in particular, the assembled clamp members 28, 29assume a somewhat X-like configuration. When the bolt 40 is tightened,the upper clamp faces 32, 33 are pressed tightly against the outer andinner shoulders 26, 27 respectively. With further tightening of thebolt, the engaged portions of the clamp and rail form a fulcrum,permitting a swinging movement of the clamp elements about the engagingportions 32, 26 and 33, 27. As a result of this pivotal or swingingmovement, lower clamp face 38 is forced outwardly into tight engagementagainst annular shoulder 17 on the strut l3 and clamp face 39 is pressedtightly against the annular shoulder 13 of such strut. Thus, it will beseen that due to the stresses set up by tightening the bolt, the clamp,strut and handrail are locked in a desired position with respect to eachother.

Furthermore, as the upper clamp faces extend into the associatedchannels 23, 24,the upper and lower walls thereof which define guidewalls will limit upward and downward movement of the clamp faces in saidchannels.

From the foregoing it will be clear that assembly of the balustradestructure in accordance with the invention is greatly simplified ascontrasted with assemblies heretofore known wherein the rail must besupported in the desired position drilled and bolted.

A great deal of flexibility with respect to the order of assembly ispermitted by the device of the present invention. For instance, it ispossible to secure the handrail in desired position by applying theupper and lowermost clamp members and tightening the members when therail is properly located. Thereafter the clamp members may be applied toconnect the rail at various spaced points to the extending struts, suchapplication being greatly facilitated by the two part construction ofthe clamp members which permits of longitudinally sliding the same intoposition and subsequent integration by the bolt.

As previously noted, the device has the further advantage that by onlypartly tightening the initially applied clamp member or members, it ispossible temporarily to secure the handrail at a desired position andthereafter effect small or large corrections of this position withoutdrilling or re-drilling of the rail, as is the case with devicesheretofore known.

Moreover, it is feasible for even very large handrails to be applied byone or two workers, since the elimination of the drilling step obviatesthe necessity for a multiplicity of workers to hold the railin thedesired end position to permit measurements for drilling, etc.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A handrail assembly for mounting an elongated handrail or the like toa support, said handrail comprising a track portion having inner andouter, longitudinally extended, spaced apart inner and outer supportshoulders, at strut having an end fixed to said support and a free endin spaced relation to said track portion, said free end of said strutincluding inner and outer opposed shoulder portions connected by areduced neck, a clamp member clampingly connecting said track portionand strut, said clamp member including first and second clamp portionsslidably inter-fitting with each other and surrounding said neck bymovement of said clamp portions longitudinally of said track toward saidneck, each of said clamp portions including an upper and a lower clampface, the upper clamp faces of said first and second clamp portionsengaging an inner and an outer support shoulder of said rail,respectively, and the lower clamp faces of said first and second clampportions engaging an outer and an inner shoulder portion of said strut,respectively, and fastener means connecting said clamp portions formoving said upper clamp faces toward each other in a direction at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of said track portion, thereby to urgesaid upper clamp faces inwurdly toward said support shoulders, and saidlower clamp faces outwardly against said opposed strut shoulders.

2. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which said fastener meanscomprises a screw extending through both of said clamp portions betweenthe upper and lower clamp faces and more closely adjacent the upperclamp faces.

3. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said clampportions includes an open slot portion insertible endwise over said neckportion.

4. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said handrail has abase with a depending longitudinal portion having undercut side portionsdefining open channels the opposed faces of which define the supportshoulders of said track portion said channel portions defining, inaddition, upper and lower guide walls adjacent said base, the upperclamp faces of said clamp portions including upper and lower surfacesdisposed adjacent said upper and lower guide walls, thereby to limitupward and downward movement of said clamp faces in said channels.

5. A clamp for securing an elongated rail member having outwardlydirected channel portions to a support strut having opposed, inwardlydirected shoulders separated by a reduced diameter neck portion, saidstrut being spaced from said channel portions of said rail, comprisingfirst and second identical clamping portions having inwardly directedlip portions at their upper ends, each of said lip portions beingslidably disposed in a different one of said channel portions,longitudinally extended, open ended slot means adjacent the lower endsof said clamp portions, said slot means being slidable over said neck 5portion by longitudinal movement of said clamp portions toward eachother along said rail member, with said lip portions disposed in saidchannels, and fastener means adjusta'bly connecting said clamp portionsfor shifting said lip portions inwardly to grip said channels, and said10 lower ends of said clamp portions outwardly against said opposedshoulders.

6. A clamp in accordance with claim 4 wherein the combined thickness ofsaid clamp portions adjacent said slot means is approximately equal tothe spacing between 15 said opposed shoulders.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, PrimaryExaminer.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Examiner.

1. A HANDRAIL ASSEMBLY FOR MOUNTING AN ELONGATED HANDRAIL OR THE LIKE TOA SUPPORT, SAID HANDRAIL COMPRISING A TRACK PORTION HAVING INNER ANDOUTER, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDED, SPACED APART INNER AND OUTER SUPPORTSHOULDERS, A STRUT HAVING AN END FIXED TO SAID SUPPORT AND A FREE END INSPACED RELATION TO SAID TRACK PORTION, SAID FREE END OF SAID STRUTINCLUDING INNER AND OUTER OPPOSED SHOULDER PORTIONS CONNECTED BY AREDUCED NECK, A CLAMP MEMBER CLAMPINGLY CONNECTING SAID TRACK PORTIONAND STRUT, SAID CLAMP MEMBER INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND CLAMP PORTIONSSLIDABLY INTERFITTING WITH EACH OTHER AND SURROUNDING SAID NECK BYMOVEMENT OF SAID CLAMP PORTIONS LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID TRACK TOWARD SAIDNECK, EACH OF SAID CLAMP PORTIONS INCLUDING AN UPPER AND A LOWER CLAMPFACE, THE UPPER CLAMP FACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLAMP PORTIONSENGAGING AN INNER AND AN OUTER SUPPORT SHOULDER OF SAID RAIL,RESPECTIVELY, AND THE LOWER CLAMP FACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLAMPPORTIONS ENGAGING AN OUTER AND AN INNER SHOULDER PORTION OF SAID STRUT,RESPECTIVELY, AND FASTENER MEANS CONNECTING SAID CLAMP PORTIONS FORMOVING SAID UPPER CLAMP FACES TOWARD EACH OTHER IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHTANGLES TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TRACK PORTION, THEREBY TO URGESAID UPPER CLAMP FACES INWARDLY TOWARD SAID SUPPORT SHOULDERS, AND SAIDLOWER CLAMP FACES OUTWARDLY AGAINST SAID OPPOSED STRUT SHOULDERS.